Mystery

[IanA2]

Update:

The Indy is saying that it looks as though it is the ECU and it will cost about £600 all in. I've offered to chip in 50% if that's an end to it.

 

[Sp!ke]

Update:

The Indy is saying that it looks as though it is the ECU and it will cost about £600 all in. I've offered to chip in 50% if that's an end to it.

looks as though it is the ECU ... or *is* the ECU?

I wouldnt be spending £600 unless I was absolutely positive it was the cause.

How about testing this suspect ECU in another car for a start.

 

[IanA2]

looks as though it is the ECU ... or *is* the ECU?

I wouldnt be spending £600 unless I was absolutely positive it was the cause.

How about testing this suspect ECU in another car for a start.

Well he's "driving" the repairs, my offer is based on a final resolution. If it's not the ECU then I'll have to think again.

I asked about trying another ECU or as you suggested, trying the suspect one elsewhere. I was told this was not possible as they have to be coded to individual cars and that only MB can do the coding.

 

[glojo]

Story goes like this: I sold my 95 plate C220 Elegance to a guy I know. Sold it for £2,200 which I thought was a good price for him. I have had virtually no problems since I bought it at about 14 months old. Since he has had it he has !

I hate to say this but is this 'guy you know' a good friend? I would obviously not want to lose a good friend over this, but if it is merely someone you know, then I would perhaps not be so sympathetic.

You sold the car without any sort of gaurantee, he bought the car without any sort of gaurantee. He was happy with the price, you were happy with the price.

You have been more than reasonable with your offers but this chap is being silly. Going to these so called experts has highlighted how easy it is to spend money in an attempt to save it.

Stop pussy footing about! (Sorry about being blunt)

If you want to contribute towards the cost of repair, then tell him to go somewhere with the PROPER diagnostic equipment and then get a PROPER report of what is actually wrong. If he persists on letting so called 'experts' play with the car, then.... Walk away.

Are you sure the car does indeed have this problem? It is certainly a coincidence that it goes wrong straight after you sold it?

Good luck and sorry if I appear hard faced (because I certainly am not)

Regards,
John

 

[andy_k]

I agree with John,

Don't spend a penny on repairs until proper diagnostic tests have been carried out. Take it to the dealers or an independent with the proper diagnostic tools and get the fault codes read.

Andy

 

[IanA2]

I hate to say this but is this 'guy you know' a good friend? I would obviously not want to lose a good friend over this, but if it is merely someone you know, then I would perhaps not be so sympathetic.

You sold the car without any sort of gaurantee, he bought the car without any sort of gaurantee. He was happy with the price, you were happy with the price.

You have been more than reasonable with your offers but this chap is being silly. Going to these so called experts has highlighted how easy it is to spend money in an attempt to save it.

Stop pussy footing about! (Sorry about being blunt)

If you want to contribute towards the cost of repair, then tell him to go somewhere with the PROPER diagnostic equipment and then get a PROPER report of what is actually wrong. If he persists on letting so called 'experts' play with the car, then.... Walk away.

Are you sure the car does indeed have this problem? It is certainly a coincidence that it goes wrong straight after you sold it?

Good luck and sorry if I appear hard faced (because I certainly am not)

Regards,
John

It's difficult, I would call him an acquaintance but we all live in a pretty small community, in the middle of nowhere, so we have to rub along. In fact I thought IU gave it to him for a very good price, it suited me as I didn't have to advertise etc. It was he who approached me. Had he not we might have kept it as a run-around.
I'm not offering to pay for any Guessfix & blah Inc works, only the Indy, who I know and trust and who I told him to go to at the outset. I'm clear on that.
Thanks for your comments, sorry I didn't reply to those vis-a-vis my SLK, but I was feeling a bit sore with the Stealer. Got over it now!

 

[grober]

Tread carefully

Difficult one this but £300 represents a discount of 14% on your selling price. What evidence if any is the "indy" using to back up his diagnosis.Is he taking you and your friend for a ride. I thought dieselmans suggestion on the fuel or OVP relay was sound. I applaud your integrity if this is a genuine situation, but the other guys have offered you sound advice. In a way you are in the position of an insurance company here. You are being asked for money for a repair. If you decide you have a degree of liability you have the right (like an insurance company) to make sure a proper repair is carried out before paying out any money. You may well save your "friend" some money at the same time. If you do pay him some money make sure you that you write to him at the same time indicating that this a final goodwill payment and not an admission of liability for a fault when you sold the car in good faith. All this depends really on how well you know and trust your "friend" at the end of the day.

 

[grober]

Sorry my reply is now a bit out of date having read your final post Ian. I would still tactfully "finalise" your settlement with a letter tho. Just lets all parties know the "original deal" is completed.

 

[IanA2]

Latest: I went over to the Indy on Sat to discuss putting a ss powerflow system on my SL. Whilst there we had a chat about the C220, he's sent the ECU off for testing and told me that they were not able to replicate the fault, ergo, it would appear that the ECU is OK. It seems that you can set your clock by the fault, the engine runs fine for 30 secs then starts firing on 2 pots then fades and dies. Start it a few minutes later and the fault is replicated to the second. He muttered something about the plugs (I since understand they were changed when the coil and leads were), which didn't make a lot of sense to me.

So, to recap, it ain't the coil, though that was arcing, it ain't the AFM, and now it looks as though it ain't the ECU!

The mystery cointinues.

 

[grober]

bba-reman site

Have you read this http://www.bba-reman.com/content.aspx?content=mercedes_vdo_ecu and this http://www.bba-reman.com/content.aspx?content=hints_and_tips just a thought

 

[IanA2]

Update: Not the ECU. Now trying a new crankshaft sensor?

 

[andy_k]

I'd be looking at fuel delivery, if it's cutting out after 30 seconds it should be pretty easy to diagnose.

Is the fuel filter a clear one? if not can you install one as a temporary measure? start the car and see if the supply is interrupted.

If it is then it's a case of finding out why

Is it possible that the ignition live feed to the fuel pumps has a fault?

The pumps presumably "prime" the system on the accessory position on the ignition switch

30 seconds worth of running would be about how much I'd expect from the fuel sitting in the pipes

Andy

 

[Dieselman]

IanAlexander

You need to disown this problem.

Buying cars is always a risk and when buying privately there is no warranty.

The buyer paid a fair/cheap price for a car that was performing perfectly when you sold it. If it genuinely was performing properly then this isn't anything to do with you.

If I purchased a car from another private individual I wouldn't dream of taking it back unless there was a legal/accident damage issue.

If the car drove Ok on the test drive then developed a fault after purchase then that's just tough.

Walk away with a clear concience.

 

[IanA2]

Update:

Mystery solved. It was the ECU. The ECU was sent away for testing, it would not replicate the fault so it was thought to be ok. After trying various other possibilities, the ECU was re-set(?) and hey presto a fully functioning car once again. Cost £1040.00.

It is thought that the problem may have been caused by fitting wrong HT leads at service. So car is working and Mystery is solved. Well sort of !!

 

[SimonsMerc]

£1040 to reset the ECU??!?!

??!??!?!!!!!!

-simon

 

[IanA2]

In fairness there was a lot of time in locating the fault, remember, the original testing showed a false positive.

 

[glojo]

Update: Not the ECU. Now trying a new crankshaft sensor?

Now you have allegedly found the cause, who is going to foot the bill of £1040 on a £2200 sale?

I am certainly not criticising your behaviour over this sorry tale. Your behaviour has been exemplary.

John

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

i wouldnt foot it...surely he can claim on insurance. If they are a friend/someone you would rather appease then maybe offer to pay a small part of their excess. by no means foot the bill, or consider splitting it.

 

[IanA2]

Now you have allegedly found the cause, who is going to foot the bill of £1040 on a £2200 sale?

I am certainly not criticising your behaviour over this sorry tale. Your behaviour has been exemplary.

John

John,

I've paid half of the Indy's bill, ie £520; but I've paid nothing towards (and I don't know how much they were) the bills were from Messers Quessfix Fu**up & blah Inc. I don't think they guy really knows how good a price he got the car for in the first place (it really is a good car), I think the problem is that the fault manifested itself so soon after I sold it to him. We live in a small community and I think five hundred quid is a small price to pay to stop tongues wagging

 

[IanA2]

wouldnt foot it...surely he can claim on insurance.

Did I miss something??